Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid signed a two-year contract extension on Monday, Oct. 6, but it won’t make him the highest-paid player in the league or even his team.
McDavid agreed to a team-friendly, two-year contract extension worth $25 million for a $12.5 million cap hit, matching his current mark. That keeps him below Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl, who will average $14 million, starting this season.
The lack of a raise gives the team the chance to add players around the McDavid-Draisaitl duo.
‘Connor’s commitment to our team and our city is surpassed only by his singular focus on bringing a Stanley Cup back to fans of the Edmonton Oilers,’ general manager Stan Bowman said in a statement.
Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov signed the richest deal in NHL history – eight years, $136 million with a $17 million cap hit – during training camp.
McDavid, a three-time MVP, had been the top-paid player when he signed an eight-year extension that averaged $12.5 million. It took effect in the 2018-19 season.
He since has been surpassed by Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million), Auston Matthews ($13.25 million), Draisaitl and Kaprizov.
McDavid said after the Stanley Cup Final, where the Oilers lost to the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row, that he needed some time to regroup and talk to his agent and family. He said there was no rush on the decision.
A key to his decision would be whether the Oilers could finally get over the top and also what was best for himself and his family.
Edmonton traded Evander Kane and Viktor Arvidsson, and let Corey Perry, Connor Brown, Jeff Skinner and John Klingberg go to free agency. The Oilers re-signed Evan Bouchard and Kasperi Kapanen and added free agents Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar. They traded for Hobey Baker Award winner Isaac Howard and signed him to an entry-level contract. They traded for goaltending depth in Connor Ingram.
After the McDavid signing, the Oilers announced a seven-year, $49 million extension for defenseman Jake Walman.
This story has been updated to add new information.